Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-02-22

The date of the last ofhcial returns. De-
cenhr 81, 1856, ls0 Posts and 6S25 Com
rades, all in good standing; being net
gain of 80 Posts and l7S0 Comrades.
Besides tins, Pest No. lS6 has been
mustered at san Miguel during this
quarter. making a total gain in my aa-
mInistration OF thirty-oae Posts, and
enough accessioGs to Posts have been
made to swell the total mem bership to
about GAS testinatedl.
sit Was TO be expected that there
would be a considerable increase up To
the time OF the meeting OF the Twentieth
National Encampment; but had feared
that the last SIX months OF my term
would show some falling of; 1 have
been agrsesbly disappointed in this, as
there has been a slow but steady in
crease
The year that has Ella psed since our
last meeting has been one Of the mos;
eFsntful IN The history OF our Depart
ment, rendsred SO by the meeting in
San Francesca in August last, Of the
Twentieth National Eaosmpment of the
c. A. r.
.-Nerer before have we seen In cur
State SO large an assemblage OF veteran
soldiers probably never again will It
be our good fortune to gather togsther
ON our side OF .hs continent so many Of
cur brothers in arms.
.Txenty thousand Comrades and men,
bers OF thesr families crossed our noun
talns from Eastern Departments to clasp
fer the first time since the war the
hands of those former companions who
had parted from them after the muster
ont OF those grand veteran armies.
..Five thousand Comrades of your own
Department assembled IN San Francisco
to greet our visitors. Eight thousand
veierans OF ths war for the Union
marched as of old in ssrried ranks. rep
resenling every army, every corps. div
lsioa and brigade of the Union Army.
~Not SO youthful nor SO stalwart were
they as in the days OF lS6l-65; the hOar
frosts CT a quarter eentury's winters had
thinned and whitened their locks and
enfeehled their muscles, but they all
fell Ike boys that day IN spirit, and as it
they conid storm battery again, Were
1t necessary.
a. he Commander complimented the
ladies for the work performed by them
alIIlA year SlG~C0 AA1A Al
should never favor the recognition OF the
SONS OF VETERANS
uatl they abolished all military titles.
The idea OF turning loose upon the
country every year a new crop OF Gen
erals, Colonies, Majors and Captains.
whose only claim 10 military titles is
that they are the soas of Comrades of
~ n
absartliIy which We should never coun-
tenauce. Lst them drop their quasi
military organization and then apply 10
the Grand Army to recognize them as
what they claim to be, ..Sons of Vet
Grams" as what they are, ''Oar Sons;
then let US take them 10 cur arms and
help them TO become worthy Successors
of A'orthy sirss.
HE also stated that the welcome news
that the Senate had Kassed the bill APP
propTlatlng Sl50,ooo for a National
Home tor veterans on the Pacific coass
had come and doubtless before the AL
tournament Cf tn Eacampnent the bill
sall become law
+'DarIHg the past year the Veterans
Home, established at 1oantville, Napa
county, has made steady progress.
There nave been sixty-two Iea members
admitted; and TO the close OF the year
1856, there had been q total of Isl vet
Grams whose applications to be admitted
to the benefits OF the institution have
been approved by the B sard OF Directors,
OF Mhom l42 are still there, twenty-five
lie burIed IA the home cemetery sad the
others have been discharged or trans
feIIed 10 eastern homes. The \ Junt-
vile Home coald net comfortably shelter
any greatsr number than li0 without
an additional cottage, ana there were
about Htty Ia heed ot accommodations.
To meet lhis pressing want, the ENscu-
tive Committee OF the Twentieth National
Eacampnent 50 managed their trust as to
save the sum Of $500, all OF which they
expended ia the construction of al ele-
2 ant cottage on the grounds, about 100
test south of the principal cottage. The
new buildIng Is two stories IN height,
thoroughly tinished, and divided into
t&enty-four ROOMS. each room capable
CT accommodating two men. A large
rsrauds, tao stories high, affords a de-
hghiIal place for the old veterans to st
IN lie shade and lock cut over the
beEa afnl Naya valley and the hills be-
yond Oa the l2th OF February, lSS.-
the anniversary Of the birth of Abraham
Liacola-the new cottage was presented
BIZ the eammiItee to the Veterans Home
Association, 1t viii now be furnished
without Delay by the Association, and
dealcatea TO the US Tor which II was
INTENDED"
After reviewing his work for the
wear Commander Smedberg closed and
Senior Nlce Commander q. f. Gard
read a brief report commencing the
action CT The comrades IN August last
and reviewing MS Wefk for the year.
OTHER REroRrS.
He was followed by Junior Vice Com
rnanaer !. f. Daniels, WHO also read 4
shert rfp0rt.
Assistant A6lutant General I. S. Tay
lar gave an account OF the gains and
losses of each Post during the year IN
numbers, IN which the gain was stated
as alo- and the loss only -.
The following table, taken from the pro-
ceedings of the Nineteenth Department
Encanpment, and euotsd by the Assist
ant Adjntant General from the Journal
of the National Encampment of 1885,
gives the standing of the Department,
Hasnt for the past ten years, ending
March Slst each year: